Ervin Charleyboy, a former Tsilqot’in National Government tribal chair and a former Alexis Creek Indian Band chief, says he is in favour of working with Taseko on its New Prosperty Mine project if the project is environmentally safe.
Charleyboy made the statement Tuesday after the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency said it would embark on a panel review for the revised mine project that was rejected in Nov. 2010.
“If it’s (the project) going to be environmentally safe I think we should be talking to them,” he said, adding his concern was for the next generation of youth.
“We’ve got nothing right now and we’re trying to count on the forest industry but there’s hardly any forest left for us. What are we going to do when we run out of forest and we’ve got nothing.”
Charleyboy was opposed to the Prosperity project that was rejected last year due its plan to drain Fish Lake. He admits he has few specifics about the new proposal but nevertheless feels it would be worthwhile to “get together and sit down and see where this thing is going.”
“If we use propaganda instead of sitting and talking with each other it’s not going to go anywhere,” he said.
In response to the CEAA’s decision to move forward with a review panel for the revised project, the Tsilqot’in National Government released a statement saying: “This is a wrong decision that makes no sense to us and raises serious concerns, but at least the Minister of Environment recognizes these must be addressed through a public review panel that ensures full transparency and accountability.”
